New Delhi. Oxford University has praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ambitious digital governance platform 'PRAGATI'. According to a study by Oxford University, India's Pragati platform launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015 has been successful in tracking stalled infrastructure projects for faster completion. It is worth noting that Pragati i.e. 'Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation' is a multipurpose platform.

This report titled From Gridlock to Growth: How Leadership Enables India's PRAGATI Ecosystem to Power Progress has been prepared by Soumitra Dutta and Mukul Padnya of Oxford University's Said Business School. The study said that India's experience of accelerating large infrastructure projects can be a lesson for global leaders who want to make infrastructure a game changer for economic development.

340 stalled projects gained momentum

The report said that by the end of June 2023, India had reviewed 340 projects worth Rs 17.05 lakh crore ($205 billion) through the Pragati platform while tackling some of the most challenging infrastructure and social development projects. Along with this, delays were resolved by breaking bureaucratic barriers and promoting cooperative federalism. The 54-page report divided into 7 chapters emphasizes how PM Modi and his team brought a system to improve governance and administration, especially big projects.

PRAGATI platform reduces costs by accelerating projects
A study by RBI and National Institute of Public Finance and Policy estimates that every rupee spent on infrastructure yields a GDP return of 2.5 to 3.5 rupees. The platform has reduced cost overruns by accelerating projects and ensuring that economic benefits are achieved sooner.

Better connectivity through roads, railways and airports has expanded access to education, employment and health care for millions of people. The study examined 8 out of a total of 340 Pragati infrastructure projects across the country.

4 Rail Projects

• Bogibeel rail and road bridge over the Brahmaputra river in Assam.

• Jammu-Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link in Jammu and Kashmir.

• Bengaluru Metro Rail Project in Karnataka

• Haridaspur-Paradip rail connection for Paradip port in Odisha.

2 Road Projects-

• Dahisar-Surat section of NH 8 in Maharashtra and Gujarat.

• Varanasi-Aurangabad section of National Highway 2 which connects UP to Bihar.

Apart from this, these 8 projects include North Karanpura Thermal Power Plant in Jharkhand and Navi Mumbai Airports in Maharashtra.